note: transcription publicly contributed - please contact us with comments, errors or omisions

73 [encircled at top centre]
Halifax 27th March 1849
Sir
We beg leave to inform you we received some days since an order from the owner of the [oficcie?] saved from the wreck of the Spanish Schr Bella Maria, lost at Sable Island, to receive the amount from the Commissioners of the Island. We applied to those gentlemen for $3575 being the [illegible] sum in their hands after deducting salvage as awarded by three Magistrates.
Those gentlemen have not paid us the full amount, but withheld £23,,5,,8 [currency?] for fees paid to their Counsel ............................... £4,,13,,4
2 [illegible] charged by the commissioners 18,,12,,4
of Sable Island for paying over the [illegible] 23,,5,,8
We addressed a note to the Commissioners of Sable Island objecting to the above change, and they state in their reply "they have acted strictly in conformity with the opinion of Her Majesty's [sworn?] officers